HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL: Septer's sharp shooting leads Gray team to victory

TRENTON — If last night was the final night of Erin Septer’s basketball career, the Hamilton High senior picked a great way to finish it off.

Septer, who was one of the leading scorers in the Colonial Valley Conference averaging just under 20 points a game for a Hornet team that struggled for wins, drained three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 21 to lead the Gray team to a 70-69 victory over the Blue in the 14th annual Mercer County Senior High School Girls Senior All-Star game hosted by the Mercer County CYO and played at the CYO Center.

Septer, who plans to play soccer at Shenendoah University in Virginia starting in the fall, scored 14 of her points in the opening half to get the Gray off to a fast start, although it would need a 19 point final quarter to hold off a hot-shooting Blue squad.

Septer got plenty of offensive help as Steinert’s Kaitlyn Wolfsgruber drained five 3-pointers for 15 points, TCA’s Stacey Labissiere scored 18 after getting eight in the opening quarter when the Gray got out to a 20-8 lead.

Hopewell Valley’s Nellie Tanguay came off the bench to hit five 3-pointers and finished with 19 as the only double digit scorer for the Blue.

“I didn’t think my season would get this far, and to win MVP puts a cherry on top of my season and makes it more special,” said Septer, a 3-year starter for the Hornets who despite her team never getting above .500 after losing eight in a row at mid-season had some huge games in the CVC. She scored 20 or more nine times, topped by a season-high 42.

“I kind of wish we had won more, but I’m glad how my team fought hard,” said Septer, who had to take on an even bigger role for her Hornets once teammate Courtney Adams was hurt at mid-season.

“Coming out I was a little nervous because I hadn’t touched a basketball since our last game (in late February). We knew we had to keep playing hard because we knew they would come back. This was a lot of fun because I got to play with a lot of girls I played against all season,” said Septer.”

“This was a lot of fun because I got to play on the court where I first played when I was in the CYO (at Our Lady of Sorrows) and played against the girls I played against in high school for so many games.”

In this game Erin Septer finally got a chance to enjoy a big win that capped off her high school career in the best way.